Under-water weapon



Sept. 29, 1970 T. SH ELNICK 3,530,580

UNDER-WATER WEAPON Filed Dec. 26, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 29, 1970" T. SHELNICK UNDER-WATER WEAPON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2s, 1967 IfI/l .lil B Q mm mm .3 .5 H mw m United States Patent Oflice 3,530,580 UNDER-WATER WEAPON Thomas Shelnick, Penn Hills, Pa. (9717 Glendale Road, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15235) Filed Dec. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 693,315 Int. Cl. AOlk 81/00; F41b 13/08, 15/00 US. Cl. 359 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hand-held skin divers knife having a hollow blade portion for conveying a lethal fluid discharged from a cartridge contained, for firing, in the rear end of the blade portion. A handle portion coupled to the bladeportion houses a firing mechanism which requires cocking prior to the forcing of the fluid through the blade portion, upon firing of the cartridge, and which requires actuation of a release mechanism by the user after the blade portion has penetrated the body of a shark or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to weapons and, more particularly a hand-held type of weapon for use under Water by persons such as skin divers.

A weapon such as herein contemplated is particularly useful to skin divers, commercial divers, and underwater demolition people who always carry a knife as a standard piece of equipment. While the primary purpose of the knife is for cutting such things as seaweed, in many instances this is the only weapon of defense against a shark or other creature of the deep. It is well known that it is quite diflicult, if not totally impossible to kill a shark with just a knife. Often times the diver only wounds the shark which turns it into a much more dangerous adversary.

The most recent developments in this area have led to the use, by injection, of compressed CO for tranquilizing or paralyzing a wild animal or shark or, upon injection of a suflicient quantity of CO into a shark it floats it to the surface of the water, where, at least for a short time, it does not present immediate danger. Compressed CO is also used for propelling syringes filled with anesthetizing drugs. It is common knowledge that temperature variations affect the satisfactory operation of CO devices due to the accompanying changes in pressure and, consequently, such devices are not suitable for use in a constantly changing environment such as the waters normally worked in by divers.

It will be appreciated that devices which utilize CO as a propellant, for example, dart guns, would be too cumbersome under water, even if designed for such use, and, therefore, would not meet with wholehearted acceptance by divers, particularly those who have to work for long periods underwater. Furthermore, such weapons are used with fluids which are not hazardous to humans and therefore, leakage of fluid is not a problem. Due to their construction, these devices are not suitable for carrying lethal fluids, for example, nicotine.

Weapons which inject CO into a shark are so constructed as to have a shark penetrating portion with a hollow interior for conveying CO into the shark. The

Patented Sept. 29, 1970 ing with a man-eating shark will be apparent. This problem is more pronounced and arises more frequently in such weapons where the fluid-emitting apertures extend substantially the entire length of the shark penetrating portion. Not only can the CO be prematurely discharged but it can, also, be inadvertently discharged any time the shark penetrating portion is moved rearwardly.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a new and improved hand-held weapon.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a new and improved weapon for skin divers which can be used in lieu of the knife normally carried, and yet is suitable for killing sharks and other creatures of the deep.

Another object of this invention is to provide a weapon which is safe in operation and which is capable of injecting a lethal fluid into a sea creature or wild animal and wherein there is total assurance of penetration of the fluid intot he creature or animal.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved weapon capable of injecting a lethal fluid into a sea creature or wild animal wherein the effectiveness of the means for propelling the lethal fluid is substantially unaffected by changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and pressure.

SUMMARY Briefly, the above-cited objects are accomplished in the present invention by providing a weapon having the outward appearance of a knife and wherein a cartridge charged with a lethal fluid can be fired to thereby expel the lethal fluid through the blade portion of the weapon. The firing chamber for the cartridge is disposed in the blade portion thereby permitting fabrication of a weapon, in proper proportions, therefore, approximately the same size and dimensions as a conventional knife used by hunters and divers. This also, where the weapon is used underwater, decreases the quantity of water that has to be driven out of the blade before the lethal fluid is forced therethrough.

The firing mechanism for the cartridge is disposed in a handle portion of the weapon, the handle portion being pivotally attached to the blade portion for convenient loading and unloading of the weapon. A simple latch mechanism is provided to prevent inadvertent pivoting of the handle relative to the blade portion.

The cartridge, which is preferably charged with liquid nicotine, comprises a casing having disposed therein a primer, powder, a suitable wad and plunger, the nicotine and an end cap for captivating the contents of the casing therein. The forward end of the cartridge is provided with a 'rupturable membrane or portion which allows passage of the nicotine out of the casing and into the blade portion upon firing of the cartridge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages and objects will be apparent from a detailed description of the illustrated embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand-held weapon representing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the weapon shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the weapon shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but in a cocked or ready-to-fire position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of a nicotine containing cartridge used in the weapon illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating a latch mechanism incorporated in the weapon shown in FIG. 1;

3 FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VIVI of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, especially FIG. 1, reference character 10 designates generally a weapon having the outward appearance of an ordinary hunting or fishing knife. The weapon 10 comprises a blade structure 11 and a handle structure 12.

The blade structure 11, fabricated from a corrosion resistant material, for example, stainless steel, is provided with an elongated hollow or channel 13 (see FIG. 2) extending from approximately the tip 14 of the blade structure 11 rearwardly thereof to a point where it communicates with a cartridge firing chamber 16. The hollow 13 serves, as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, to convey a lethal fluid forwardly toward the tip 14 and out of the hollow 13 through a pair of opposed apertures 17 (only one being shown) in the blade structure 11 adjacent the tip 14. The cartridge firing chamber 16 is delineated by a wall thickness suitable for the safe firing of a cartridge capable of producing a muzzle velocity equivalent to a .22 caliber rifle shell. Opposed ends 18 of the blade portion 11 are sharpened to provide cutting edges 19.

The handle structure 12 houses a combination bolt or striker and firing pin 21 reciprocally movable along the longitudinal axis thereof in a longitudinal bore 22 provided in a removable plug insert and in a longitudinal bore provided in an end cap 30. The walls delineating the longitudinal bores 20 and 22 serve as bearing surfaces for the striker and firing pin 21. The combination bolt or striker and firing pin hereinafter referred to as striker 21, is adapted to be displaced rearwardly by means of a cocking knob 23 attached thereto, such movement serving to compress a bias member in the form of a helical spring 24. A sear member 26, which is pivotally carried in an opening 27 in the plug insert 15 by a pin element 28, engages a shoulder 35 of the combination bolt and firing pin 21 when in its cocked position (see FIG. 3) to thereby hold it in that condition until the release thereof is desired. The sear member 26 is biased into engagement with the shoulder 35 by means of a resilient member 29 and is adapted to be moved out of engagement therewith by means of a pivotal trigger button or lever 31. The lever 31 is supported by a pin 33 within a keyhole-shaped opening 34 in a finger grip piece 36 forming a part of the handle structure 12. The grip 36 is secured, by means of screws 37, to a tubular shell 38 also forming a part of the structure 12 and into which the plug insert 15 is installed. The lever 31 has a stem portion 39 which extends through countersunk apertures 40 and 41 in the grip 36 and an aperture 42 in the tubular shell 38. The countersunk arrangement of the apertures 40 and 41 provides a seat for a bias spring 43 disposed about the stem portion 39. The spring 43 serves to bias the lever 31 to a non-firing position. A land 44 in the opening 34 prevents counterclockwise rotation (as viewed in FIG. 2) of the lever 31 to thereby prevent loss of the spring 43.

The plug insert 15, made from any suitable material, for example, stainless steel stock, is provided with male threads 45 adjacent one end thereof for engagement with female threads 46 provided in the one end of the tubular shell 38. The plug insert 15 has an extended arm 47 having a transverse aperture 48 disposed therein, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. The blade structure 11 is provided with a longitudinal slot 49 for receiving the arm 47. The walls defining the slot 49 are provided with opposed apertures 51 (FIG. 7) which, together with the 4 aperture 48, receive a pin 52 to thereby hinge the blade structure 11 to the handle structure 12.

A latch mechanism, generally indicated at 53 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 6), comprises a generally U-shaped arm 54 pivotally mounted in a vertical slot 56 in the plug insert 15 by means of a pin member 57 received in apertures 58 of the U-shaped arm 54 and apertures 59 of the plug insert 15. A spring element 61 encompassing the pin member 57 serves to bias the U-shaped member 54 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. This is accomplished by securing, in any suitable manner, the arms 62 and 63 of the spring element 61 to the plug insert 15 and the U-shaped arm, 54, respectively. The bight portion of the U-shaped member 54 engages a post member 64 carrier by the blade structure 11 to prevent relative pivoting of the blade structure 11 and the handle structure 12. Release of the latch mechanism 53 can be effected by lifting the U-shaped member 54 through insertion of the thumb or finger into a recess 66.

A cartridge 67 (best shown in FIG. 4) comprising a hollow casing 68, made from any suitable material, for example, plastic, and a metal end cap 69, is insertable into the chamber 16 for firing thereof by the striker 21. The end cap contains a conventional primer 71 and is provided with threads 72 for engaging threads 73 in the casing 68. The hollow of the casing 68 is charged with powder 74, a plunger 75 and a lethal fluid, for example, nicotine 70.

The plunger 75 comprises a disc-shaped wad 76 made, for example, from rubber, and a metallic, substantially disc-shaped member 77 having a tubular stem portion 78 embedded in the rubber wad 76 and stopping just short of the one end thereof. When the powder 74 is ignited the plunger travels toward the front of the casing 68 causing a rupture of the front end 79 thereof which has a substantially reduced thickness thereby allowing the rupture to take place. The force created causes the stem 78 to penetrate completely through the rubber wad 76 thereby allowing the release of gaseous pressure.

To prevent leakage into the powder 74, either of water or nicotine, a sealer, for example, a thin layer of shellac is provided as indicated at 81 and 82.

OPERATION To load the weapon 10, the U-shaped member 54 is lifted upwardly as viewed in FIG. 1, thereby permitting relative pivoting between the blade structure 11 and the handle structure 12. This manipulation (as shown in FIG. 5) exposes the chamber 16 to permit insertion of a cartridge 67 after which the reversal of the foregoing steps readies the weapon for cocking and subsequent discharge of the nicotine 70. A shoulder 83 in the end of the blade structure 11 serves as a standoff to facilitate removal of the cartridge 67. It should be pointed out at this point (i.e., prior to cocking of the striker 21) that the weapon 10 may be safely used as an ordinary knife without danger of inadvertently firing thereof. To this end a small coil spring 84 biases the striker 21 rearwardly in the handle structure 12 (see FIG. 2) so that the sear member 26 engages a second shoulder 86. The spring 84 also prevents interference by the striker 21 when closing the weapon 10. When the need of firing the weapon 10 arises, the striker 21 by means of the cocking knob 23 is pulled straight back a short distance to a point where the sear member 26 operatively engages the shoulder 35. The weapon 10 is then thrust into the attacker, for example, a man-eating shark, after which the cartridge 67 is fired through the simple depression of the trigger button 31. A guard 87 attached to the blade structure 11 prevents the hand from engaging the cutting edges 19. The nicotine is expelled from the casing 68 through the end 79 which has now been ruptured, into the hollow 13 and exits through the apertures 17 and into the shark. It has been found that a dosage of 4 cc. or 4000 milligrams at a strength of substantially pure nicotine will cause blindness to the shark within 2 seconds and paralysis within 4 seconds, followed instantaneously by death.

The surfaces of the handle structure 12 and the knob 23 are knurled or otherwise suitably treated as indicated by the cross hatching in FIGS. 1 and 5 to aid in gripping the weapon when wet.

A plurality of openings 88 and 89 in the plug insert and tubular shell 38, respectively, provide an escape path for water to prevent retardation of the firing mechanism.

It will now be apparent that by this invention there has been provided a weapon which can be carried and utilized by hunters and skin divers in lieu of an ordinary hunting or fishing knife, yet, has the capabilities of killing man-eating sharks and other creatures of the deep and the most hardy of wild animals. The invention is further characterized in that inadvertent release of the propelling means is prevented and a propelling means is provided, which, unlike prior art devices, is not affected by changes in environmental conditions.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above described apparatus and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A hand-held weapon comprising:

a blade structure having a longitudinal channel extending in at least the forward end of said blade structure and communicating with at least one aperture in the wall of said blade structure,

a handle structure,

means containing a lethal fluid disposed in one of said structures,

fluid propelling means in said one of said structures,

means in one of said structures for rendering said propelling means operable,

and means in said handle structure for actuating said means for rendering said propelling means operable to force said lethal fluid into said channel and out of said aperture,

said means containing a lethal fluid comprising a cartridge with a rupturable membrane in the forward end thereof serving to contain the lethal fluid and upon rupture thereof to allow flow of said lethal fluid,

said blade structure comprising a firing chamber adjacent the rear end thereof for receiving said cartridge.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1, including coupling means comprising hinge means permitting relative pivoting of said structures to thereby expose the open end of said chamber for insertion and removal of cartridges.

3. Structure as specified in claim 2, including latch means for preventing inadvertent relative pivoting of said structures.

4. Structure as specified in claim 3 wherein said fluid propelling means comprises a primer, powder and a plunger disposed in said cartridge and said means for rendering said propelling means operable comprises a combination striker and firing pin disposed in said handle structure and adapted to be moved from a cocked position by the stored energy of a spring.

5. Structure as specified in claim 4, including means carried by said handle structure for maintaining said combination striker and firing pin in a cocked position.

6. Structure as specified in claim 5, including finger activated trigger mechanism in said handle structure for releasing said combination striker and firing pin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 755,773 3/1904 Hoerr 4253 1,934,080 11/1933 Meyer 30-1233 X 2,545,017 3/1951 Billingsley 128--2l6 X 2,981,026 4/1961 Wedrall 43-6 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner J. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 30l23.3 

